Do NOT get a "free" Steam key if you want to support Frontier

Each launcher has its respective store, these can be viewed at https://steam.elitedangerous.com and https://store.elitedangerous.com
Steam or rather Valve deserve praise for what they've done but I think it's a bit hyperbolic to say the survival of PC gaming rests entirely on their shoulders.

I wasn't aware of the steam store, that means a few of my earlier comments were false, sorry about that. Still, I maintain that both Valve and Frontier are both successful multi-billion dollar companies, and Frontier wouldn't enter into an agreement, or allow their players options (eg. to buy from steam) that wouldn't benefit them in the long run. I understand that they would prefer if we bought directly from them, but they have considered their options and decided to give steam keys to all previous customers. I'm sure people buying from steam is not going to send the company into financial ruin, quite the opposite, I think Frontier is showing they respect their customers enough to give them options. This definitely makes me more interested in buying more products from them in the future.
 
... or does this mean that Valve gets a cut just from buying even merchandise and ship skins too?

Yes, that is indeed what Ed's post seems to infer. All future purchases regardless of purchase location will result in a cut going to Valve if you create a steam key.

I bought the game through Steam because the price was the same. If it would had cost at least 5% less on here I would had bought it on here.

I imagine that's one of the conditions in the contract.

I wasn't aware of the steam store, that means a few of my earlier comments were false, sorry about that. Still, I maintain that both Valve and Frontier are both successful multi-billion dollar companies, and Frontier wouldn't enter into an agreement, or allow their players options (eg. to buy from steam) that wouldn't benefit them in the long run. I understand that they would prefer if we bought directly from them, but they have considered their options and decided to give steam keys to all previous customers. I'm sure people buying from steam is not going to send the company into financial ruin, quite the opposite, I think Frontier is showing they respect their customers enough to give them options. This definitely makes me more interested in buying more products from them in the future.

No worries. I agree, I think it's good they have given everybody an option.
Personally the easy way for me to avoid any issues is to simply not link my accounts.
 
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daan2002

Banned
this what i get from this thread Steam is the devil incarnate you are a bad man for linking you ED to steam and some one made up in their head steam gets 30%
 
There is a long-ish thread discussing the release of Elite: Dangerous Steam Keys, in which Ed Lewis appears to imply that linking your Elite Dangerous account to Steam will mean that Valve will take a future cut of ALL purchases you make (even from Frontier's own store). Lots of people have claimed that this is a complete nonsense & Ed obviously didn't mean that...

... HOWEVER, it's well over a day later, and Ed has replied on that thread about other Steam Key issues, but he has studiously failed to answer the hot topic of whether or not he has been misinterpreted about Valve taking a cut out of Frontier's own store. So I think it is clear that he is not allowed to answer. Which obviously means that Valve DO take a cut, but they have an NDA (Non Disclosure Agreement) preventing Frontier from stating that fact.

Here's Ed's first post:

He mentions generating a Steam key, and then makes an arguably-unrelated comment that they'd prefer you to buy from Frontier's own store to ensure all your money goes direct to Frontier. Not everyone is willing to read between the lines (that Frontier would prefer you didn't generate a Steam key), so many people asked for clarification. And this is what they got:


Some have claimed Ed didn't carefully read what he was quoting, but I think the fact he hasn't posted any correction by now should speak louder than anything else.

And although Ed would seem to be better placed than any of us to know what the truth is, some have tried to argue it couldn't possibly be true because they've never heard of Valve applying such a draconian rule before. But I think Valve's NDA is probably the reason people haven't heard of this before, and someone has claimed it is in fact perfectly normal for Valve to take such a cut:




So for those on the fence about getting a "free" Steam key: Don't do it if you want to support Frontier. Otherwise Valve will get a 30% cut of all Elite Dangerous DLC that you buy in the future. Cups, T-Shirts & other physical goods would seem to be excluded from this.

+1. Thank you for sharing the information! I am definately not gonna link ED top my steam account now.
 
It seems fairly unambiguous really.

Two FD employees have said there is a cost to them giving free steam keys. I think we can assume they aren't lying and they didn't accidentally say steam keys would cost them money when they actually meant to comment on the weather or something.

Putting the game on steam has already brought in customers that wouldn't be here without steam so that's a financial plus for FD.

When they announced the steam deal there was an immediate clamour for steam keys - some of those people seemed to think it was their absolute right to get a free steam key.

FD eventually responded to that clamour and decided they would allow existing account customers to have free steam keys.

If you were already an FD client then transferring your account to the steam platform will mean that FD loses money on future ED related purchases made by you through steam.

That's it. No need for any hand wringing attempts at justification for your choice and it's no-one's business but your own what you do.

I'd already decided not to go for a steam key because I can't see any benefit to me adding ED to my steam account. The fact that benefits FD financially is a happy coincidence.

That said if I were on the fence before Ed's confirmation then the money thing would have swung it FD's way but that isn't actually how it happened in my case.

ETA - and from a practical point of view - if you really do see a benefit to moving your account to steam and you also really want to support FD and you can afford to do so then why not by another account through the store and gift it to a friend?

FD gets the cash and you make someone happy! :D
 
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this what i get from this thread Steam is the devil incarnate you are a bad man for linking you ED to steam and some one made up in their head steam gets 30%

I don't think people are trying to say that (not on the whole anyway), they're just saying "There may be more to this than first meets the eye, if it bothers you make your decision with that in mind."
30% seems to be industry standard in these sort of things, ie Apple, Google, Amazon store and so on. and the 30% figure for Steam is verified here.
 
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ETA - and from a practical point of view - if you really do see a benefit to moving your account to steam and you also really want to support FD and you can afford to do so then why not by another account through the store and gift it to a friend?

FD gets the cash and you make someone happy! :D

Steam doesn't track your playtime for non-steam games. That alone is worth claiming a steam key.
 

daan2002

Banned
I don't think people are trying to say that (not on the whole anyway), they're just saying "There may be more to this than first meets the eye, if it bothers you make your decision with that in mind."
30% seems to be industry standard in these sort of things, ie Apple, Google, Amazon store and so on. and the 30% figure for Steam is verified here.

i added my key when i got up and made a thank you thread for it because they didnt have to do it every one think steams is the devil incarnate because some one made up in their head steam get 30% ive not seen any Dev or steam say they get 30% and to be frank is not any of our business use the key dont use it yes steam get a cut so dose anything thing you buy from a store online or physical its a part of business
 
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Steam doesn't track your playtime for non-steam games. That alone is worth claiming a steam key.

I'm not sure I understand what you mean - Steam doesn't track your playtime for non-steam games.

This makes it worth claiming a steam key?!

Help me out here - still on my first coffee...
 
I heard that in the future players who don't use STEAM cannot play with players that use STEAM. Is this correct?


Because then I'd have to get STEAM too, as one I use to play a lot has moved to STEAM so he can play Elite with Xbox-Controller in Big Picture mode on his TV.
 

daan2002

Banned
Why do you need to know how long you've played for?

because some of us take pride in knowing like some take pride in owning a gun

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I heard that in the future players who don't use STEAM cannot play with players that use STEAM. Is this correct?


Because then I'd have to get STEAM too, as one I use to play a lot has moved to STEAM so he can play Elite with Xbox-Controller in Big Picture mode on his TV.

you are fine to use steam or not steam not going to run their on server plus dont think FD would let them
 
I don't think FD wanted a steam release, most of the reason they went via Kickstarter in the first place was to avoid having a publisher putting their oar in all the time, Steam may not have the same control a publisher would but you can bet they can exert SOME influence on the way things are done.

The Steam release was driven by people on the forum complaining, the threads have been running since way back, I guess FD wanted to keep the user base happy and figured it would bring in more customers, personally i think they have caved in to to many forum demands already, the problem with trying to "consult" with your customers is that most of them are idiots and want things fast and easy and the overall long term experience suffers.
 
because some of us take pride in knowing like some take pride in owning a gun

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you are fine to use steam or not steam not going to run their on server plus dont think FD would let them


Meh, seems daft to me that you have to measure your enjoyment by time played rather than just enjoying the game.
 
i added my key when i got up and made a thank you thread for it because they didnt have to do it every one think steams is the devil incarnate because some one made up in their head steam get 30% ive not seen any Dev or steam say they get 30% and to be frank is not any of our business use the key dont use it yes steam get a cut so dose anything thing you buy from a store online or physical its a part of business

Dude I've just shown you proof that Valve gets a 30% cut for all steam sales, that's not a made up figure in anyone's head, it's right there on paper from court documents.
No one cares about that, no one cares about sales via steam.elitedangerous.com. The only thing that may be important is the implication that sales through Frontier's own store is also subject to a cut if accounts are linked.
 
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daan2002

Banned
Dude I've just shown you proof that Valve gets a 30% cut for all steam sales, that's not a made up figure in anyone's head, it's right there on paper from court documents.
No one cares about that, no one cares about sales via steam.elitedangerous.com. The only thing that may be important is the implication that sales through Frontier's own store is also subject to a cut if accounts are linked.

dude i told you its a part of business you go out now and buy something from a store that store is getting a cut again part of business :eek: :rolleyes: and i thought sto player had entitlement issues
 
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